Opposition would support EU CO2 cuts veto

Poland's largest opposition party Law and Justice (PiS) says it would support a veto by Prime Minister Kopacz on climate change in Brussels next week if the move harmed the Polish economy.

photo - sxc.hu

“Polish business must come first,” PiS spokesman Adam Hofman told Polish Radio on Friday morning ahead of the EU summit on 23 October, where the European Commission has proposed reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 40 percent, on 1990 levels, by 2030

Law and Justice's unusual solidarity with the government comes after Poland's deputy prime minister and economy minister Janusz Piechociński confirmed on Thursday that if there is no movement on the EC's proposal at the summit then “Poland will have no choice but to veto it”.

Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz said at the ASEM EU – Asia Summit in Milan yesterday that negotiations with EU partners will be “difficult because of a divergence of interests.”

Previously PM Kopacz has said that she would block any move that would increase energy bills for Polish consumers.

Last week ministers from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania said in a joint statement at a so-called Visegrad Group (V4+2) summit in Bratislava that “the introduction of any legally binding renewable energy and energy efficiency targets at EU or national level is not desirable.”

The six nations, among the poorest in Europe, are also among some of the member states with the highest CO2 emissions, with Poland's economy, for example, heavily reliant on coal as an energy source.

The V4+2 group also demanded that richer nations compensate poorer members for the cost of moving to more 'renewable' energy sources.

The European Council meeting on 23 and 24 October in Brussels is being asked to approve the EC proposal of 40 percent cuts by 2030 ahead of the UN climate conference in Paris in December 2015. (pg)